Best institutions to study Dance
A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon.
290 U.S. institutions graduated 2,917 Dance students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 50.0301, a specialization of Dance (CIP 50.03), and leads most directly to the Dancers occupation (BLS SOC 27-2031).
About Dance programs
A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon. Includes instruction in technique, choreography, Laban notation, dance history and criticism, and dance production.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Dance program, also known as Dance, General, prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and inner visions through various dance disciplines, including ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance. This program is ideal for students passionate about dance and interested in exploring it as a cultural phenomenon.
Students in this program will learn essential skills in technique, choreography, and dance history. Coursework often includes Laban notation and dance production, fostering a comprehensive understanding of both the art form and its cultural significance.
Credentials awarded
What Dance graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree2,375 graduates / yr · 228 institutions81%
- Master's degree218 graduates / yr · 39 institutions7.5%
- Associate's degree204 graduates / yr · 52 institutions7.0%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year60 graduates / yr · 19 institutions2.1%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years37 graduates / yr · 4 institutions1.3%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years13 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.4%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.1%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.1%
- Award of less than 12 weeks2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.1%
Graduates over time
Dance completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2,543 |
| 2013 | 2,588 |
| 2014 | 2,604 |
| 2015 | 2,752 |
| 2016 | 2,726 |
| 2017 | 2,851 |
| 2018 | 2,771 |
| 2019 | 2,899 |
| 2020 | 3,044 |
| 2021 | 2,954 |
| 2022 | 2,969 |
| 2023 | 2,896 |
| 2024 | 2,887 |
| 2025 | 2,917 |
Top 50 institutions for Dance, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Point Park University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 76 | 59% | $23,704 | $17,781 |
| 2 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 65 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 3 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 63 | 67% | $46,197 | $22,993 |
| 4 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 51 | 69% | — | $30,686 |
| 5 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 49 | 87% | — | $28,112 |
| 6 | Utah Valley University Orem, UTPublicAssociate'sBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 44 | 45% | — | — |
| 7 | The Ailey School New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 42 | 84% | $29,991 | $13,598 |
| 8 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 41 | 68% | — | $24,826 |
| 9 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NYPublicBachelor's | 38 | 63% | — | $12,039 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NCPublicBachelor's | 38 | 78% | — | $14,201 |
| 11 | Bennington College Bennington, VTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 36 | 71% | $27,554 | — |
| 12 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 35 | 65% | — | $23,191 |
| 13 | Pace University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 34 | 60% | $29,994 | $19,614 |
| 14 | Chapman University Orange, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 33 | 82% | $42,965 | $21,275 |
| 15 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 33 | 75% | — | — |
| 16 | Texas State University San Marcos, TXPublicBachelor's | 33 | 55% | — | $38,967 |
| 17 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GAPublicBachelor's | 33 | 52% | — | $18,888 |
| 18 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 32 | 93% | — | $19,787 |
| 19 | Dean College Franklin, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAssociate's | 32 | 54% | $28,874 | $24,236 |
| 20 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 29 | 91% | — | $16,639 |
| 21 | Fordham University Bronx, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 29 | 82% | $38,931 | $20,381 |
| 22 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 29 | 55% | — | $19,202 |
| 23 | Texas Woman's University Denton, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 28 | 49% | — | $29,634 |
| 24 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 25 | 88% | — | $21,167 |
| 25 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, ALPublicBachelor's | 24 | 73% | — | $18,716 |
| 26 | Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, OKPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 24 | 65% | $22,589 | $19,548 |
| 27 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 23 | 68% | — | $27,310 |
| 28 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 23 | 86% | — | $21,877 |
| 29 | Aria University Milpitas, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of less than 12 weeks | 23 | — | — | — |
| 30 | The Juilliard School New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 22 | 93% | $29,763 | $14,220 |
| 31 | Marymount Manhattan College New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 22 | 49% | $34,258 | $21,880 |
| 32 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicBachelor's | 21 | 76% | — | — |
| 33 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 21 | 93% | — | — |
| 34 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 21 | 56% | — | $24,295 |
| 35 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 20 | 52% | $28,087 | — |
| 36 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 20 | 89% | — | — |
| 37 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, IDPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 19 | 55% | $6,760 | — |
| 38 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 19 | 85% | — | — |
| 39 | New Jersey City University Jersey City, NJPublicBachelor's | 19 | 34% | — | — |
| 40 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TXPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 19 | 69% | — | — |
| 41 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 19 | 81% | $13,712 | — |
| 42 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 18 | 75% | — | $30,353 |
| 43 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor's | 18 | 69% | — | $23,587 |
| 44 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OKPublicBachelor's | 18 | 75% | — | $14,632 |
| 45 | University of North Texas Denton, TXPublicBachelor's | 18 | 61% | — | $25,034 |
| 46 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 18 | 84% | $33,246 | — |
| 47 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 18 | 89% | — | — |
| 48 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 18 | 85% | — | — |
| 49 | California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 17 | 67% | $42,045 | — |
| 50 | University of South Florida Tampa, FLPublicBachelor's | 17 | 77% | — | $16,389 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Dance field (CIP 50.03) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 46 states & territories
Where Dance graduates come from. Each state links to all Dance programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-2031, Dancers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Dance program can pursue careers as dancers, choreographers, or postsecondary art, drama, and music teachers. The job outlook for dancers is about as fast as average, with an estimated 1,800 annual openings and a projected growth rate of 4.5%.
Career pathways for CIP 50.0301
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dancersprimary SOC 27-2031 | — | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~1,800 | No formal educational credential |
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1121 | $78,620 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~9,000 | Master's degree |
Choreographers SOC 27-2032 | $55,310 | +6.1% Faster than average | ~700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Dance programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
- Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
- Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
- Coordinate dancing with that of partners or dance ensembles.
- Develop self-understanding of physical capabilities and limitations, and choose dance styles accordingly.
- Perform classical, modern, or acrobatic dances in productions, expressing stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies.
Tools and technology used
Other Dance specializations
The 2 other 6-digit CIP codes under Dance (CIP 50.03).
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Associate's degree, or a short-term award.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and various dance techniques.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a dancer, choreographer, or a teacher in the arts.
What is the job outlook for dancers?+
The job outlook for dancers is about as fast as average, with 1,800 annual openings expected.
What is the CIP code for Dance?+
Dance is CIP 50.0301 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Dance (CIP 50.03). NCES defines it as: A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon. Includes instruction in technique, choreography, Laban notation, dance history and criticism, and dance production.
How many institutions offer Dance programs?+
290 U.S. institutions reported Dance graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 46 states & territories, awarding 2,917 credentials in the year. That is 93.6% of all Dance graduates.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Dance graduates, so its figures match the Dance program page.
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